By Allison Scarbrough, News Editor
HART — Hart Public Schools is asking voters to approve a non-homestead millage proposal Tuesday, May 5.
The millage will fund costs for the district’s operations, including teacher and staff salaries, said Hart Public Schools Superintendent Mark Platt. “It’s simply a millage that the state requires us to pass, and if we don’t pass it, we get penalized.”
Should the millage proposal fail, the district will face staff cuts and larger classroom sizes.
“A non-homestead millage does not apply to individual homeowners,” said Platt. It applies to commercial, industrial, rental, and second-home properties in Michigan. It does not apply to renters, but it does impact landlords.
“The rate, as far as the monetary piece, varies district by district all over the State of Michigan. It’s based in large part on property values.”
A non-homestead millage is a property tax levy, typically 18 mills, which is $18 per $1,000 of taxable value. “Districts are required to generate 18 mills of their own money, so to speak. When you hear the state say, ‘We’re going to give $10,000 in the foundation allowance per kid, that’s not entirely accurate. It’s true, but part of that 10 grand is what you generate locally. If the state says they’re going to give you $10,000, and you generate $1,500 of it locally, really what they’re going to do is give you $8,500.
“What happens if your non-homestead rate falls below 18 mills? The State of Michigan doesn’t make up the difference. That is our current situation. You end up losing x amount of money for every kid in your school.”
Ultimately, it generates about $5 million. “Last year, we lost over $300,000, and this year it could be $500,000. That number will only grow until this non-homestead rate passes. The district will be in a train wreck if it doesn’t pass.”
Hart’s non-homestead millage was rejected by voters in 2024. “We tried to pass this in 2024, because we saw it coming.” Voters approved the non-homestead in 2013, and the funds lasted about 12 years.
“What you’re seeing right now in the State of Michigan in this May election, there are schools all over Michigan going up for non-homestead renewals because the property values in the State of Michigan have really accelerated quickly. And that is what is creating this thing called the millage reduction fraction. When the property values rise too quickly, we’re not able to levy the appropriate amount. There is a significant difference in the amount of money that some school districts can generate.” Some Michigan districts, like Pentwater, are “out of formula” districts because their property values are much higher than Hart’s.
“We’re classified as ‘in formula,’ so the formula really is state money plus local money equals foundation allowance.” ‘Out-of-formula’ districts are completely reliant on the non-homestead tax. “If you’re Pentwater or Saugatuck, and your non-homestead doesn’t pass, you don’t open the doors.”
“We are asking for 20 mills, and the key to the 20 is this: we can’t levy more than 18. Those additional two mills are just there to keep us from falling below 18 in the future. When that number is not 18, we lose money quickly. And that money goes directly into the operating funds. The numbers that are above 18 are just there to stop from skidding and making the bleeding hurt. It prevents going to the voters every year and saying, ‘please renew 18.’ It gives you the cushion and will not affect anybody’s pocketbook that way.”
If voters do not approve the request next Tuesday, Hart will put the question on the ballot again in August.
Voters in the Hart school district passed a bond issue last May. The successful passage allows the district’s bond levy to continue, generating about $14 million at no additional cost to the taxpayers. The funds will be used to make improvements throughout the school’s campus, including upgrades to the football stadium and track.
“This is different. It is simply a statutory requirement to have 18 mills. If it doesn’t pass, it simply equals larger class sizes, and it will be a guarantee.
“Over 84 percent of our budget is staff. So the only way to make up for it is to cut staff. The voters need to come out; support the school; and understand that we are not asking for more — we are truly just asking for what we’re supposed to be levying. It doesn’t impact homeowners at all but it impacts every kid. While I think it’s stupid that the State of Michigan has it set up this way, I can’t begin to tell you how doggone important it is.”
BALLOT LANGUAGE
This proposal will allow the school district to continue to levy the statutory rate of not to exceed 18 mills on all property, except principal residence and other property exempted by law, required for the school district to receive its revenue per pupil foundation allowance. The remaining 2 mills are only available to be levied to restore millage lost as a reduction required by the Michigan Constitution of 1963 and will only be levied to the extent necessary to restore that reduction.
Shall the limitation on the amount of taxes which may be assessed against all property, except principal residence and other property exempted by law, in Hart Public Schools, Oceana County, Michigan, be increased by 20 mills ($20.00 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation) for a period of 13 years, 2026 to 2038, inclusive, to provide funds for operating purposes; the estimate of the revenue the school district will collect if the millage is approved and 18 mills are levied in 2026 is approximately $5,197,830.
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